


Stark's Splendid Supplies

by JenJo



Series: Clint Barton Bingo 2019 [2]
Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 03:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18175112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenJo/pseuds/JenJo
Summary: “Come back to me.”“I always have.”Neither spoke of the fear they both had; the day that Clint didn’t come back. There was too much power in words, in giving voice to fears. Voiced fears couldn’t be hidden from the universe.Both of them had learnt that the hard way.“Don’t turn into a liar, you hear me.”“Never.”





	Stark's Splendid Supplies

**Author's Note:**

> For the Clint Barton Bingo.  
> Square E5- Clint/Tony.
> 
> This is in no way inspired by the Vax'ilmore binge I've been on.  
> Nope.

“And what brings you into my humble establishment on this fine day?”

 

Clint gave Tony an over exaggerated wink, sauntering through the store and leaning on the counter top. “When have I ever needed an excuse to see you?”

 

“Never,” Tony conceded, standing in front of Clint with a faintly amused expression. “But it  _ has  _ been two months.”

 

“Two months?”

 

“And fourteen days. Growing awfully close to a hundred days since you last graced this store with your presence.”

 

Clint suitably lost some of his bravado, standing up straight and beginning to pick at the end of his sleeve. “If it’s any consolation, I spent most of those days suffering from nauseating sea sickness.”

 

“Sea sickness?”

 

“Sixty days at sea,”  Clint nodded, before looking up again. “I’ve never handled sea travel well.”

 

“Your face says you still haven’t found him.”

 

Clint shook his head. 

 

“You don’t owe him your life-”

 

Clint held up a hand, stopping Tony. “Not right now. Not today. Please?”

 

Tony nodded, reaching across the counter to take Clint’s hand. He rubbed his thumb across the back of Clint’s hand, finding new scars. “I take it I’m also to not talk about the toll on your body?”

 

“Preferably not.”

 

Tony nodded. “What shall we talk about then?”

 

“How about you take the pillow talk to an  _ actual  _ pillow?”

 

Clint and Tony both turned to look at the door; Pepper walked in, taking off her cloak and hanging it behind the counter, tying up her flowing hair as she walked.

 

“What? I saw Clint walk past; he wasn’t exactly being stealthy about it.”

 

“Wanted to see me?” Tony asked with a knowing smile.

 

“Obviously,” Clint answered, rolling his eyes. “Didn’t want to waste any time.”

 

“Then  _ don’t,”  _ Pepper said. “I can handle things here, Tony. Go and spent what time you have together. The store won’t burn down while you’re gone.”

 

“Don’t even think it,” Tony muttered, but made his way around the counter, picking up a travelling cloak and fastening it around his neck. He stepped into Clint’s space, offering him a small smile. “Hi.”

 

“Hi,” Clint replied, mirroring the smile. They stared at each other, just within each other’s reach.

 

“Please, I might actually throw up.”

 

Pepper’s voice broke them out of their moment. Clint laughed, picking up Tony’s hand and lifting it to his mouth, to press a kiss to the back of his hand.

 

“Shall we?”

 

“Your place or mine?” Tony asked as he looped his arm through Clint’s, giving Pepper a thankful smile before leading Clint out of the store.

 

Clint pretended to give it some thought. “Well, I haven’t had a chance to rebuild since my last place burned down, so yours.”

 

“I made some changes since you were last here-”

 

“Ever the tinkerer.”

 

“- I think you’ll like them.”

 

* * *

 

 

“A hole in the roof?” Clint asked, looking up at the roof. “How did I not see that earlier?”

 

“I’d like to think you were suitably distracted,” Tony said, poking at Clint’s stomach. 

 

“Oh, definitely distracted. An excellent distraction.” Clint frowned up at the roof. “Why?”

 

“It’s to watch the stars.” Tony leaned up on an elbow, and watched Clint’s face freeze. 

 

Clint had confessed, in a moment eerily similar to this one, that he felt more comfortable sleeping under the stars, that enclosed environments went against his very being. That the stars were more of a family to him than any living being.  

 

And Tony had listened, and done  _ something _ about it. This man, who showed Clint more care and thought than anyone ever had. This man, who didn’t look at Clint and see money. This man, who looked at Clint and saw  _ Clint _ , not a value. 

 

And Clint was going to break his heart. 

 

Again.

 

“It will be more impressive at night, of course,” Tony spoke into the silence, because that was what he did. “It offers quite the stunning view.”

 

“What about rain?” Clint asked, anything to delay the inevitable.

 

“It’s enchanted.” Tony said it in a voice that told Clint just how much he bought the distraction. “Do you really think I’d cut a hole in my roof and  _ not  _ protect myself?”

 

Clint sighed, closing his eyes and lifting a hand to cover them. 

 

“You’re not staying long enough to see it in action.”

 

Tony’s voice held resignation. He knew what Clint was going to do. Tony moved to sit up; Clint moved his eyes to watch the movement. Tony didn’t give Clint his back, instead sitting facing Clint. The sheet pooled around his waist, the scars over his chest on full display. 

 

Clint sat up, slowly, the sheet moving away from him as though even it held him in contempt. Clint leaned back against the wall, fighting the urge to bang his head against it. “I’ve got passage on a boat that leaves after dusk.”

 

“A miracle,” Tony observed, dryly. The town had been under a maritime quarantine for three months; passage via boat was expensive, all but impossible to obtain. Clint would not be giving up his passage. 

 

“An expensive one,” Clint added, unnecessarily.  “But yes, a miracle. I will be on that boat.”

 

“Then I am just a stop for you.” The  _ as usual  _ was implied. 

 

Clint allowed himself to bang his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. “I’m on a time-sensitive-”

 

“Save it, I’ve heard to say it before. Seventeen times, in fact.” When Clint opened his eyes, Tony’s were resigned. “The price of loving a man on a hunt.”

 

“You know I can’t let him go unpunished. What he did-”

 

“Was unspeakable, and not the type of talk I want in my bed.”

 

“ _ Your bed, _ ” Clint echoed, shaking his head. “One day, it  _ will  _ be  _ our  _ bed again.”

 

“I hope so,” Tony said as he reached out and took Clint’s hands in his. “But it won’t be while you push yourself on this quest.”

 

Tony never gave voice to the fact that it was a fruitless quest, and Clint loved him for it. He lifted a hand to Tony’s cheek, Tony leaning into it. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t exhaust every possibility.”

 

“My fearless Clint.” Tony turned his head, pressing a kiss to Clint’s palm. “Come back to me.”

 

“I always have.”

 

Neither spoke of the fear they both had; the day that Clint  _ didn’t  _ come back. There was too much power in words, in giving voice to fears. Voiced fears couldn’t be hidden from the universe. 

 

Both of them had learnt that the hard way. 

 

“Don’t turn into a liar, you hear me.” 

 

“Never.” Clint looked up at the sky, before looking back at Tony. “I’m yours for a few more hours.”

 

“Mine?”

 

“Completely.”

 

Tony pulled Clint on top of him, never having been one to waste time.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Tony woke to an empty bed. 

 

Again. 

 

He heard the door to his home close, and made his way over to his bedroom window, looking out on the street, holding the sheet around him loosely. 

 

He watched Clint walk away from him,  _ again _ . There was a moment where Clint turned and locked eyes with Tony. 

 

_ Come back to me _ , Tony mouthed. 

 

_ Always _ , Clint mouthed back, before resuming his course to the docks.

 

Tony watched him for as long as he could, until Clint went out of sight. 

 

“Come back to me, my beautiful fool,” Tony whispered to the universe, to anyone listening. 

 

He and Clint would have their happy ending. The universe wouldn’t dare be so cruel to two people who had suffered so much. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> It was totally inspired by the Vax'ilmore binge I've been on, and I'm not apologising.


End file.
